Finding Your Way Back
by Pearlkat
Summary: This story attempts to answer the question that has plagued me for years: Why was Christine Chapel sitting next to Ambassador Sarek (and presumably Spock) at the court martial at the end of ST4: The Voyage Home?
1. Chapter 1

**Finding Your Way Back**

This story attempts to answer the question that has plagued me for years: Why was Christine Chapel sitting next to Ambassador Sarek (and presumably Spock) at the court martial at the end of ST4: The Voyage Home?

**A/N: This story takes place before, during, and after the events described in ST2: The Wrath of Kahn, ST3: The Search for Spock, and ST4: The Voyage Home, and includes scenes from the movies as well as original filler. The perspective shifts back and forth from Chapel to Spock; these shifts are set apart by xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. There are also references to George Lucas' Star Wars saga, but this is in no way a crossover fic.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek or its characters. But I wonder why they do what they do. I don't own Star Wars either, but I thought it would be fun to include it._

**Chapter 1**

Doctor Christine Chapel walked beside her husband through the crowded terminal, Lt. Saavik following in their wake. "I wish you didn't have to do this, Spock," Christine lamented. Spock stopped and ushered them out of the flow of traffic.

"We have been through this already, Christine. This training mission is one of my duties as a Graduate Academy instructor."

"I know, Spock. But the timing is lousy. We just bought a house, and we're ready to start our family…"

"I will only be gone three weeks, _Th'y'la_." He looked to Saavik, who was standing close, but trying not to hear their conversation. "You may go ahead, Saavik-_kam_. I will meet you at the transport platform." She nodded and turned to go, but was stopped by the doctor's hand on her arm.

"Saavik," Christine started gently, "Promise me you'll take good care of him and return him to me in one piece."

"I will endeavor to do my best, Doctor Chapel," she briefly touched Christine's hand, then walked away.

Spock pulled his wife behind a convenient column where they were less likely to be seen. He laid his hand on her cheek to reassure her with his thoughts, then kissed her tenderly. "When I return we will resume our efforts to produce a child," he said, his eyes twinkling.

"Promise?" Christine asked with a seductive grin.

"Promise," Spock repeated and kissed her again. "Now I must go!" He turned and followed the path his young charge had taken. Christine watched until she could no longer distinguish him from the crowd then headed for her office at Emergency Ops.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Three hours later Lt. Saavik successfully piloted the starship _Enterprise_ out of space dock and Cmdr. Hikaru Sulu 'indulged himself' with their course coordinates.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The comm chimed alerting Christine to a message from her superior. She touched the screen and the report she was reading was replaced with the face of Admiral Matheson. "Yes, Wendell?"

"We have a situation on the planet Armosa. I need you in my office right away." The screen blanked out. Matheson had always been a succinct and straight-to-the-point talker. And when he was finished he simply stopped talking.

A situation. That was Matheson's code word for an Emergency Medical Services request. Christine bookmarked the report, grabbed a padd, and headed for her boss's office.

Matheson started talking before the door closed. "There's been an outbreak of Midorian flu on Armosa. They've traced the spread back to a Tellarite freighter crew that took shore leave there eighteen days ago. Thirty-six people have already died, including most of the Tellarites. Over one hundred others have been affected. We got an EMS request an hour ago. Since you're the leading expert on the disease, Chris, I want you to head this mission."

"Yes, Sir."

"And I want Doctor Rivers to assist you. If you insist on leaving me soon, I want him groomed to take over."

"He's a good choice, Sir. And we work well together."

"Right. Choose a team of ten and be ready to leave on the _Potemkin_ in twenty-four hours.

"Yes, Sir."

Twenty-two hours later, Christine recorded a message to her husband:

_Hi Sweetie,_

_I miss you like crazy. It turns out I won't be stuck at home alone while you're gone after all. Daniel Rivers and I are taking a med team out to Armosa where there's been an outbreak of Midorian flu. We leave in a couple of hours on the _Potemkin_. I have no idea how long it will take, Midorian flu can be tricky. You'll probably get home before I do. I doubt I'll have a way to contact you again until the ship comes back for us, but I'll try. Give everyone my love. I'll see you in a few weeks. I love you! Bye._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The comm light on Captain Spock's computer blinked. He toggled the switch. "Yes, Commander."

Nyota Uhura's voice came through the speaker. "You have a private message, Captain," she purred. "I wonder who it could be from."

"You know perfectly well who it is from, Miss Uhura. And you most likely already know what she has to say."

Uhura didn't miss the slight lilt in his voice. "Why, Sir! I would **never** look at someone else's mail," she said with mock indignation. "I'm piping it to your office now, Sir. Give Christine my love."

"I will." He touched the screen to open the message and saw his wife's smiling face. He kept his eyes locked on hers as she spoke. She gave him a little wave as she signed off. He was pleased she had something to occupy her while he was away, but would miss her all the more with the extra distance between them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Aw, come on Chris!" Daniel Rivers groaned. "How can you not have seen 'Star Wars'? They're classic twentieth century films!" They were having dinner in the Officer's Mess of the _USS Potemkin_ with her captain, Michael Hawkins, and CMO, Deena Pruitt. Captain Hawkins had given them a run-down of ship's recreational activities they could partake of, a 'Star Wars' holovid marathon being first on the list.

"I don't know. I was never into that early science fiction stuff. Their aliens were always so strange looking, and their gadgets were so far-fetched."

Daniel laughed. "Oh, like we haven't seen our share of strange-looking aliens. And most of our current technology comes from the gadgets those guys dreamed up."

"He's right, Doctor Chapel," said Dr. Pruitt. "A lot of the diagnostic devices we use today were first thought of by sci-fi writers a long time ago."

"Not to mention our warp engines, transporters, and replicators," added Captain Hawkins.

Christine held up both hands, palms out, to make them stop. "Okay, okay. I get it."

"So you'll see the 'vids with me?" Daniel inquired.

"Daniel, it wouldn't be right. I'm a married woman."

"Yeah, you're happily married and I'm happily single. So it would just be two friends hanging out together. Please."

"Oh, alright. I'll see the 'vids." Daniel pumped both fists in victory.

Michael Hawkins chuckled. "Well, I'm glad we got settled. You'll only have time to see episodes four, five and six before we get to Armosa. But I promise to show one, two and three again when we pick you up."

"Wait," Christine interrupted. "Why are we seeing episode four first? Don't things usually start at one."

Dr. Rivers answered, "That's the way it was originally written. The main story starts in episode four and continues to episode six. Then the back story, the prequel, takes place in episodes one through three. It makes more sense that way."

As Daniel and Christine exited the ship's theater for the third time, Christine exclaimed, "I can't believe Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father! How did that happen?"

"That's what episodes one, two and three are about," Daniel replied.

Six hours later, the two doctors and their team boarded three specially-outfitted emergency medical shuttlecrafts. On the planet, the shuttles were placed on three sides of a square and a retractable cover joined them together to create a field hospital, complete with computer work stations, a small lab, and a dispensary.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Spock rose from his meditation mat and glanced at the chrono beside his bed; oh-four-thirty-seven. Mediation had proven useless. With Christine on the other side of the galaxy, their bond had become weakened. He could tell she was alive and well, but he sorely mixed the brightness her presence brought to his mind. He had awakened from a dream about her – an erotic dream – only to find himself alone in bed. He thought for a moment she had just gone to the bathroom, but then felt the tell-tale vibration of warp engines and remembered she was far away. Ten days had passed since her message about the mission to Armosa and he had heard nothing from her since.

Throwing off his robe, he headed into his fresher. Maybe a sonic shower would ease his tension. He felt a tingle in his groin and decided to make that a cold shower.

He had no idea life as he knew it was about to change.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Christine sighed. She was so tired. They all were. She and her team had treated nearly two hundred patients, inoculated over a thousand more, and still had twenty-six of the worst cases in their makeshift hospital. Nine others had died. It would be at least twenty-four hours before they knew if the disease had been eradicated. She scrolled to the next name on the computer and typed in the patient's treatment thus far.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The cadet crew had just completed a grueling test scenario with flying colors. Captain Spock's pride in them was evident. Admiral Kirk was impressed

Commander Uhura turned to the admiral. "I have an urgent Comm-pic from Space Lab Regula One for you, sir. Doctor Carol Marcus."

Kirk gave her a look of surprise and confusion. "I'll take it in my quarters, Uhura."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dr. Rivers entered the comm/office shuttle carrying two steaming mugs. "I assume one of those is for me," Christine said, already reaching for the hot brew.

"Who else?" Daniel asked, sitting heavily on the chair next to Chapel. "They all came back negative." He tossed a data disc on her small desk. She knew he was referring to the scans run on their remaining patients to see if the disease had progressed.

"That's a relief. I'll put in a call to _Potemkin_ and tell them to come pick us up."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Admiral Kirk entered Spock's quarters and found his friend meditating. "We've got a problem," he announced. "Something may be wrong at Regula One. We've been ordered to investigate."

"If memory serves, Regula One is a scientific research laboratory," the Vulcan stated.

Kirk nodded, then paced the room nervously. "I told Starfleet all we had was a boatload of children but ...we're the only ship in the Quadrant. Spock, these cadets of yours, how good are they? How will they respond under real pressure?

Spock rose gracefully. "As with all living things, each according to his gifts. Of course, the ship is yours."

"No, that won't be necessary, just get me to Regula One."

"As a teacher on a training mission, I am content to command the _Enterprise_. If we are to go on actual duty, it is clear that the senior officer on board must assume command."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The night passed quietly in the field hospital on Armosa. Eleven patients had been released and the others were well on their way to complete recovery. As the light of dawn began to filter in, Christine shifted on her tiny cot and a wave of nausea passed through her. She sat up, then bolted to the portable fresher and threw up noisily. Med-tech Melanie Carnes, who had the cot next to hers, came to her aid with a cold wipe. "Doctor Chapel, are you all right? Vomiting is not one of the symptoms of Midorian flu."

Christine wiped her mouth. "No, it isn't. I don't know what that was. It must have been something I ate last night. I'm okay now. Thanks."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The viewscreen shifted from a field of stars to show the interior of _Reliant_. A man dressed in leather and rough fabric occupied the center seat. He looked familiar. Older, but familiar. Admiral Kirk's eyes widened. "Khan!"

The man smiled maliciously. "You still remember, Admiral. I cannot help but be touched. Of course, I remember you.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What's this I hear about your throwing up this morning?" Daniel asked as he entered the dispensary where Chapel was packing their remaining supplies.

"I'm fine, Daniel," she replied without looking up. "It was nothing."

He set down the box he had brought in and flipped on his med-scanner. "Let me examine you to make sure."

"We don't have time," she admonished. "The _Potemkin_ will be soon and we still have a lot to do."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Admiral Kirk, Dr. McCoy and Lt. Saavik beamed over to Regula One, leaving Captain Spock in charge of _Enterprise's_ repairs.

Two hours later they returned with Doctors Carol and David Marcus and Commander Chekov in tow. After a brief exchange between Kirk and Saavik about regulations regarding coded messages, the young lieutenant turned to her mentor and accused him of lying.

Spock gave her a disdainful look, one eyebrow raised. "I exaggerated."

Kirk explained, "Hours instead of days, Saavik, now we have minutes instead of hours.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The medical team released their last patient and finished packing their equipment before heading over to the celebratory picnic the Armosians were throwing for them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An unusual pattern appeared on Spock's scanner. "Admiral," he warned, "scanning an energy source on _Reliant_. A pattern I've never seen before."

David Marcus identified it. "It's the Genesis Wave! They're on a build-up to detonation!

"How soon?" Kirk demanded.

"We encoded four minutes."

The Admiral punched the comm button on his chair arm. "Scotty, I need warp speed in three minutes or we're all dead!" he barked.

"No response, Admiral," Uhura stated quietly. Spock turned his chair to face them as Dr. Marcus stepped down beside Kirk.

"Get us out of here," Kirk ordered the helm. "Best speed possible!"

"Aye, Sir," Sulu replied.

Spock stood slowly and tugged his uniform tunic down. No one saw the look of grim determination on his face. "Forgive me, Christine," he said to himself as he left the bridge.

In the turbolift on the way to Engineering, Spock muttered an ancient Vulcan prayer to his ancestors for personal strength and protection for his family. As the doors opened again, he said out loud, "I love you, my _Th'y'la_. Be well." With that he blocked off what little he could still feel of Christine in his mind.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Standing in the food line, Christine suddenly inhaled sharply. Her head reeled, and only Daniel's quick reaction kept her from falling. "What is it, Chris?"

She stood up straight. "I don't know. It's gone now, whatever it was. I guess you could say I felt a 'disturbance in the force!'" She laughed at her joke.

Daniel laughed with her. You mean, 'A disturbance in the force I felt,'" he corrected, in a perfect imitation of Yoda from the Star Wars vids.

"Yeah, that," she replied, moving forward with the line.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Spock started to open the door to the matter/anti-matter mix chamber.

"Are you out of your Vulcan mind?" McCoy asked, grabbing his arm. "No human can tolerate the radiation that's in there!"

"But, as you are so fond of observing, Doctor, I'm not human."

"You're not going in there!"

"Perhaps you're right," the Vulcan replied contritely. "What is Mister Scott's condition?"

The doctor turned to check the Chief Engineer. "Well, I don't think that he..."

Spock put his hand on McCoy's should and squeezed, caught the man as he sagged, and laid him gently on the floor. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I have no time to discuss this logically." His placed his fingers on McCoy's psi points and whispered, "Remember!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Halfway through dinner, Christine jumped up and covered her face with her hands. "Bright light!" she wailed. "Burning…pain…fire…darkness!" Then she collapsed.

"That does it!" Daniel declared. "Melanie, help me get her to a bio-bed."

Christine regained consciousness on the way to the medical shuttles. Med-tech Carnes helped her stand while Dr. Rivers unpacked the equipment. Chapel kept insisting that she was fine.

"No, you're not, Christine. Now lie down!" She obediently climbed up on the exam table.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Don't grieve, Admiral," Spock said hoarsely, "...it is logical. The needs of the many ...outweigh…"

" ...the needs of the few," Kirk finished.

"Or the one. ... I never took the Kobayashi Maru test ...until now. What do you think of my solution?"

"Spock!" Kirk groaned.

Spock pulled off his glove and placed his hand on the glass, fingers spread in the _ta'al_. "I have been ...and always shall be ...your friend. ...Live long ...and prosper.

Kirk placed his hand on the other side of the glass as his friend sagged to the floor. "No!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"No!" Christine groaned, and passed out again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**A/N: No perspective shifts in this chapter - it's all Chapel.**

"She's coming around again, Doctor Rivers," Melanie Carnes called.

Daniel stepped back to the table and waved his med-scanner over his patient. "Thanks, Mel. Go back and finish your dinner."

Christine Chapel opened her eyes as he clicked the device off. "So what does it say?"

He gave her a foreboding look and sighed. "It says, Doctor Chapel, that you're pregnant."

"What!" She tried to rise, but the room started spinning. Daniel helped her sit up. "How long?"

"About four weeks."

Christine grinned and started giggling. "I can't wait to tell Spock. I had no idea."

Daniel grimaced. "Obviously not, or you wouldn't be on this mission. And what about that little episode back at the dinner table?

She waved one hand in a vague gesture. "You know pregnancy affects women's brains as well as their emotions, Doctor."

He chuckled. "Yeah, then add in space travel, two weeks of dealing with a deadly disease, and a hefty dose of fatigue and you get one basket-case woman!"

Christine couldn't help but laugh too. "That's me!" She glanced down at herself, rubbing her abdomen, then looked back up at Daniel. "So is it a boy or a girl?"

"It's a boy."

Her smile got bigger and her eyes sparkled with delight. "A son. Spock will be thrilled."

Christine had just settled into her quarters on the _Potemkin_ and was removing her uniform jacket when the door chime rang. She hung the garment on the back of a chair and went to the door. Captain Hawkins and Dr. Pruitt were there, both looking quite solemn. "Captain, Doctor, won't you come in?" She stood aside and the door whooshed closed behind them. Realizing she was out of uniform, Christine reached for her jacket. "I'm sorry, Captain."

Hawkins pressed the jacket back onto the chair. "It's all right, Doctor. Maybe you should sit down." He swallowed hard and Christine knew something was wrong.

"What is it, Sir?" she asked, taking a step closer in a show of strength.

Hawkins glanced once at his CMO. There was no easy way say it. "We've received a message from Starfleet Command. Captain Spock is dead."

She didn't say anything, but her body began to tremble. She put her left hand over her mouth and tears began rolling down her cheeks. The captain eased her down to the chair, but she sprang back up. "What happened?" she managed to choke out.

"We don't have the details yet, but they wanted you to know."

"Spock!" she cried. "No!" She pressed both hands to her face. Hawkins caught her as her body began to crumple. He nodded over her head to Dr. Pruitt, who pressed a hypo-spray against Christine's neck. Together they got her to the bed.

"Stay with her, Deena. I'm going to see what else I can find out." Dr. Pruitt nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed as the captain left.

When she awoke, Christine found Captain Hawkins and Daniel Rivers sitting across from her. Dr. Pruitt came of the fresher with a damp cloth, which she handed to Christine. "I thought you could use a familiar face," she said, indicating Daniel. Her co-worker and friend came to sit on the bed beside her and slid his arm around her shoulders.

Christine looked up sharply at Captain Hawkins. "Jim and Len! Are they okay? _Enterprise_?"

"Admiral Kirk, Doctor McCoy and the rest of the crew are safe, thanks to your husband." He stood and moved to the comm unit, switching it on. "There's a message for you from the admiral." Daniel helped Christine to the desk chair, where a very haggard looking Admiral Kirk stared at her from the screen. Hawkins hit the play button.

_Christine,_

_I had hoped I could deliver this message to you in person. What am I saying? I hoped I'd never have to deliver this message to you. By now you know that Spock is…dead. He saved us. He sacrificed his life for all of us. You should be proud of him. He always believed the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few…or the one. I'm sorry you have to be 'the one.' _

_I thought you might like to know what happened. We got a visit from an old … enemy. You might remember him; Kahn. He wasn't very happy with me and has been waiting all these years for revenge. He nearly got it. Without getting into areas that are off-limits to just about everybody, suffice it to say Kahn got his hands on a terrible weapon. He unleashed it when we were at our most vulnerable. _Enterprise_ was totally dead in the water until your husband took it upon himself to manually align the matter inducers. The compartment was flooded with radiation and there was nothing we could do for him. He died… bravely. We gave him a burial in space per his instructions._

_I know he loved you madly, in his own logical way. And he never in a million years wanted to hurt you. All he could talk about when we were off duty was your new house and how you were going to fill it with children. He was really looking forward to being a father…and now he'll never get the chance!_

_He left a personal message for you, and one for his parents….He left one for me and Bones, too. Heck, he left each of us a message. Bones and I will come see you when you get in. The others…Nyota, Scotty, Pavel and Hikaru… send their love and prayers._

_I'm so sorry, Chris. I wish it had been me! Kirk out._

Kirk's image froze as the recording ended, tears glistening on his cheeks. There were tears on the cheeks of everyone who had watched, too. Daniel slipped into the fresher and brought them each a tissue.

It was Captain Hawkins who finally broke the silence. "We'll get you back to Earth as quick as we can." He squeezed Christine's shoulder briefly, then toggled the comm switch for the bridge and ordered more speed.

Daniel pulled Dr. Pruitt aside and spoke to her quietly. "Christine could use a full medical exam. She's four weeks pregnant."

Deena gave him a look of surprise quickly followed by an understanding nod. "Doctor Chapel, why don't you come down to Sickbay with me."

Christine stepped out of the shuttlecraft at Starfleet HQ. She hadn't expected anyone to meet her since they'd landed on a secured Emergency Ops pad. She went straight to her office and tried to act as though it had a been run-of-the-mill mission. But she couldn't. It hadn't been a run-of-the-mill mission. Not at the end, anyway.

She sat still for a while, fighting back tears. She finally hit the call button on her comm and entered her mother's code. A message came back saying that Robert and Elizabeth Chapel were not available. She entered Leonard McCoy's code. No answer. She tried Nyota's. No answer. Jim's. No answer. She'd never felt so alone.

Admiral Matheson found her slumped on her desk two hours later. He touched her shoulder and she woke with a start. It was obvious she had been crying. "Oh, hi Wendell," she said, wiping her cheeks.

"Christine! What are you doing here? Go home!"

Christine sniffed and more tears stared rolling. "I can't…I can't go back there."

"Then call one of your friends. Surely one of them will stay with you." She loved working for Matheson, but he had very little in the way of people skills.

"I tried, but nobody's home," Christine sobbed. Then she thought of Janice Rand and gave the comm her code.

"_Hello. Lieutenant Commander Rand here_."

"Hi, Jan. It's Christine." Christine was proud of how almost normal her voice sounded.

"_Oh, Christne! I am so sorry. If there's anything I can do for you_…"

"I…I could use a place to stay for a couple of days. I… I don't want to go home."

"_Sure. Absolutely. Tell me where you are and I'll come get you_."

"I'm in my office." Satisfied that his assistant would be taken care of, Matheson left.

The girls talked and cried and talked some more until neither could keep their eyes open. Christine told Jan about the baby. Jan told Christine about watching _Enterprise_ dock and how much of a beating she had taken. She had tried to talk to Nyota, but they had all been rushed off to debriefing and Jan hadn't heard from her yet.

Over the next few days, Christine kept trying to reach her friends. She left messages, she called their offices, but no one seemed to know where they were. She had tried to call Amanda and Sarek on Vulcan, too, only to get a strange message that '_All transmissions to the planet Vulcan have been temporarily suspended._' She had talked with her mother and told her about Spock's death. Elizabeth had offered to come and stay with her for a while, but Christine told her it wasn't necessary and she was fine. She never mentioned that she was pregnant.

She also called Commander Starfleet to ask about Spock's memorial service. His aides put her off several times until Admiral Morrow himself called her and said he wanted to speak with her.

Upon arriving at Starfleet Command Central, Christine was ushered directly into the admiral's inner sanctum. He offered her his condolences and told her he understood how she must feel. She knew they were ritual words he had used way too many times – she had used them herself. But it hurt when you were the one on the other end. Then he asked her if she'd heard from Dr. McCoy or Admiral Kirk. She told him she hadn't and she was beginning to get worried as no one could tell her where they were. He swiveled his chair and stared out his window – which had a grand view of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. He sighed heavily as if he'd come to a decision and turned back to her.

"Six days ago Admiral Kirk and Commander Sulu forcibly removed Doctor McCoy from the medical section of the brig," he began.

"The brig!" Chapel demanded. "What was Leonard McCoy doing in the brig?"

Admiral Morrow waved the question off. "I'm not at liberty to discuss that. Shortly thereafter, _Enterprise_ left Space Dock without orders. We haven't heard from _Enterprise_ or Admiral Kirk since. Then we learned that Commander Uhura threatened a junior officer with a phaser at a seldom used transport location just after three men fitting the descriptions of Kirk, McCoy and Sulu showed up. When the officer's shift ended, his replacement found him locked in the closet, alone."

Christine couldn't believe what she was hearing. Len was in the brig? Nyota locked someone in a closet?

Morrow continued, "_Excelsior_ was ordered to overtake _Enterprise_ and bring her back. When she engaged trans-warp drive, _Excelsior_ experienced complete engine failure and _Enterprise_ got away. We learned later that Captain Scott had sabotaged _Excelsior's_ controls. Uhura and Scott have both disappeared, and now Commanders Sulu and Chekov have failed to report for duty."

Had all her friends gone nuts? What could they be up to? "Sir, I know nothing about any of this. I've only been back three days myself. Admiral Kirk sent me a personal message while I was on the _Potemkin_, and told me he would see me when I got home."

Morrow leaned forward in his chair. "He sent you a message? When? What did he say?"

"He told me how sorry he was, he talked about Spock, said that he and Leonard – Doctor McCoy – wanted to see me. That was…seven days ago."

"What did they want to see you about?"

Christine was beginning to get angry with the man. "They were my husband's best friends! I assume they wanted to bring me his personal effects and console me."

"Right. I'm sorry. This is just so… It's gotten out of hand." He relaxed a bit. "You wanted to see _me_ about something, Doctor Chapel?"

She refrained from rolling her eyes at him. "My husband's memorial service. I was wondering when it will be held."

"Ah. That. Well, you see, Doctor Chapel, with _Enterprise_ and her crew missing, we have a problem. All records pertaining to Captain Spock's death are on that ship along with the officers who witnessed it. Without those records, we can't officially declare him dead and we can't hold a memorial service."

"What!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for all the love. Please enjoy this chapter. Only one perspective shift here.**

**Chapter 3**

Spock's eyes fluttered open. He was vaguely aware of faces all around him, female faces. And bright light. He closed his eyes quickly against the light, then opened them again. The face directly behind his head shifted to block the light. His other senses slowly reported to his brain. The muscles in his back told informed he was lying on a stone slab. His ears told him there were people all around, some speaking Vulcan, others Standard English. His skin sensed a cool breeze and his nose brought him the unmistakable smell of dry desert air. Adding all that together with the rose-colored sky directly above him, he knew he was on Vulcan. More specifically, the temple on top of Mount Seleya.

Much to Spock's disappointment, the female faces were replaced by male faces. Hands lifted him up into a sitting position and the mountain top threatened to turn upside-down. He snapped his eyes shut until the sensation dissipated. When he opened his eyes again, another face appeared. An older male that Spock thought he should recognize. The word _sa-mekh_ came out of his mouth.

"Yes, my son," his father replied in the same language. "Welcome home."

While the other males helped Spock change his robe, his father talked, pointing often to a small group of humans standing on the edge of the temple grounds. When he was dressed, they led him away from the platform, toward the stairs that led down to the city. Spock barely glanced at the humans as he passed them. At the end of the row was a young Vulcan female dressed in some kind of uniform. He felt he should know her. He stopped and looked at her. She met his eyes, then her Vulcan training came to bear and she lowered her gaze. He moved back down the line of humans, studying each of their faces, hoping for a glimmer of memory. The first one had dark hair and large dark eyes and was the youngest of the group. Spock had the distinct impression that the man spoke with a thick accent. The next man smile openly at him. He also had dark hair, but his eyes were narrow and angled slightly. Next came a friendly-looking older man with white hair and a twinkle in his eyes. He winked at Spock and turned up the corners of his mouth. A dark-skinned woman was next in line. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and she was laughing. It sounded like music to his ears. She reached out a hand as if to touch him, then pulled it back. After the woman was lean man with grey hair and bright blue eyes. He chuckled and nodded and tapped a finger to his forehead. Spock had no idea what the gesture was meant to convey.

Finally he came to the last man, the one his father had told him about. The man stared straight into Spock's eyes. His eyes were a most unusual color and Spock was sure that at one time he had looked into this man's very soul. Spock opened his mouth to speak, and with minimal effort, shifted his thinking to Standard English. "My father says you have been my friend. ...You came back for me."

Kirk replied, "You would have done the same for me."

"Why would you do this?" Spock asked.

"Because the needs of the one ...outweigh the needs of the many."

Spock was puzzled by that, but a memory came forth. "I have been ...and ever shall be ...your friend."

"Yes! Yes, Spock"

"The ship. ...Out of danger?"

"You saved the ship, ...You saved us all. Don't you remember?"

Spock tilted his head to one side, confusion evident on his face. He turned to rejoin his father, then turned back to the man with the unusual eyes. He started to say something, thought a moment longer, then said with confidence, "Jim, ...your name is Jim."

Kirk smiled at him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. The others gathered around, all talking at once. Memories came flooding back and Spock found he knew them all by name; McCoy, Uhura, Scott, Sulu, and Chekov. For a second it seemed as though someone was missing, but he couldn't remember who. His unshielded psyche was bombarded by the joy and relief they felt, but he didn't seem to mind. These were the people he knew best in the universe. The people he trusted with his very life. The people who had saved his life.

The next few days were a blur. The _Enterprise_ crew had been given use of the guest house on the Vulcan ambassador's estate. Sarek had called a meeting of the Vulcan council and declared a state of emergency. All outside trade, travel and communication was cut off in order to keep Kirk's whereabouts and his son's resurrection a secret. Spock experienced random bursts of memories and endured a myriad of emotions. He couldn't tolerate being in the same room with anyone. A master had been called in to retrain him in suppression and shielding. He also spent time with mind healers who helped him sort through his memories, knowledge, and abilities and make sense of them. Admiral Kirk had suffered an emotional breakdown of his own. It seemed the fear of losing his ship, his crew and his life to Kahn; the delight at meeting his son David; the despair of Spock's death; the thrill of stealing _Enterprise_; the relief at find Spock alive; the sorrow at losing David again so soon; the misery of destroying Enterprise; and the apprehension of the _fal-tor-pan_ left him utterly exhausted. And McCoy was in no shape to take care of him after the ordeal of transferring Spock's _katra_. Sarek had had no choice but call in a doctor from ShiKar's Terran Enclave to treat them both.

By the time Kirk was feeling better, Spock was ready to challenge him to a game of chess. He studied the man across from him and contemplated what the mind healer had told him. The healer had said that Spock had a special bond with this human male – a bond he not seen before, only read about. He said Kirk was Spock's _ne ki'ne_, or shield brother. The healer told him about ancient legends that spoke of this bond between two warriors. Spock had researched and read several of the legends. One told of two men who had been mortal enemies that joined forces to defeat a common adversary. A _ne ki'ne_ bond had formed and they spent the rest of their lives providing for and protecting each other. He decided to broach the subject with his friend and even translated some of the legends into Standard English for him.

While Spock and the crew of the _Enterprise_ recuperated, Vulcan engineers had been busy studying their capture Klingon ship. It had been thoroughly cleaned and most of the controls relabeled. It would eventually be turned over to Starfleet and Admiral Kirk was perceptive enough to know he would be the one to fly it back to Earth. Besides, he couldn't stay on Vulcan forever; it would soon be time to go back and face the music. Even if that music was the clang of a court martial bell and the sound of his rank insignia being ripped from his uniform.

Spock woke with a start, causing the room's other occupant to wake as well. "What is it, Spock?" asked the man in the other bed, concern etching his voice. Spock had begun remembering some of the more disturbing and dangerous times in his life - most of them in the company of one James T. Kirk. So Jim had decided, in light of the revelation of being Spock's shield brother, he would keep his friend company at night in case any more of the memories surfaced.

"It's nothing, Jim. I am sorry I woke you," Spock murmured, trying to slow his racing heart.

"That's what I'm here for. A bad dream?"

"A disturbing one."

"You wanna talk about it?"

Spock was silent a moment. "I do not remember it."

"That's not uncommon. Try to go back to sleep." Kirk wriggled back into a comfortable position and was soon snoring softly.

Spock lay back with his hands behind his head. He had lied to his friend; he remembered every detail of his dream, except the name of the woman. She had shoulder-length brown hair and deep blue eyes, and she wore a Star Fleet uniform, but her name eluded him completely. She had demanded to know why he left her. _Why did you leave me to raise our child on my own?_

He had dreamed about her before. Originally he thought he was dreaming of multiple women as each had hair of a different shade. Then he realized they all had the same dazzling blue eyes. Many of the memories were set on _Enterprise_ and were somehow unpleasant. But recently he had begun to think of her in a different setting. They talked and shared meals. The took long walks on a beach. In one dream, he had actually made love to her. And yet, he couldn't put a name to this woman.

He had also overheard his father talking with Jim one day. "But _why_ doesn't he remember her?" Kirk had asked.

"The healers are uncertain," Sarek replied. "But they were adamant that we must not prompt him in any way. He must remember her on his own."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had been six weeks since Spock's death and Christine still had not heard from Len, Ny, or even Jim. She had gone back to her house, but was living in the guest suite. She could barely set foot in the master bedroom and had only done so only to collect her clothes and toiletries. And Janice Rand had helped with that. So she spent her days holed up in her office and her nights crying herself to sleep in her own guest room.

Daniel Rivers found her in office one evening, staring at but not seeing her computer screen. "Hey, Chris! Didn't anybody tell you it was time to go home?"

She looked up with a start. "Oh, hi, Daniel. I just need to finish this." She turned back to her work, hoping he wouldn't see how tired she felt.

But Daniel was as nearly as good a doctor as she was. "Christine, look at me," he ordered, coming closer to her desk. She sighed and turned to face him. "How long has it been since you had a decent night's sleep?"

"Well, let's see. It's been six weeks since…"

"Christine!" He leaned over her desk. "In case you've forgotten, you're pregnant. And that baby needs for you to take care of yourself and get some rest. And speaking of that, when was the last time you ate?"

She shrugged and replied, "I had a donut and some coffee earlier."

"Earlier. Earlier when? This morning? Come on, get up."

"Where are we going?" She shut off her computer and stood, stripping off her lab coat.

Daniel grabbed her uniform jacket and held it out for her. "We're going out to dinner. And by 'out' I don't mean the stuffy old Officer's Club."

She slid her arms into her jacket. "Daniel, I'm not hungry. And I can't go out with you."

"Two friends," he said, turning her around to face him and holding up two fingers. "Remember? Two friends hanging out together. You can even pay if you want. Now move!"

He took her to a little dive that he swore had the best Mexican food in the galaxy. Over dinner he carefully steered the conversation away from anything that would add to her stress and by the time they were ready to order dessert, she seemed to have relaxed considerably.

They each took a bite of the brownie a la mode they were sharing, savoring it's richness. "So," Daniel started, "does Junior there have a name, or are we just gonna call him … Junior?"

Christine's face softened and she smiled. "He has a name. I've decided to follow Vulcan tradition and give him a name that starts with the letter S."

"You're not naming him after his father or grandfather, are you?"

"No. All the males in Spock's family have names that start with S, or the Vulcan equivalent, in honor of the fact that they're direct descendants of Surak."

"And Surak is…"

She gave him an I-can't-believe-you-don't-know-that look. "Surak is the father of modern Vulcan philosophy and way of life," she summarized. "His name will be Steven."

"Steven. That's not a very Vulcan-sounding name.

"No, but it could be. Besides, he's only one quarter Vulcan."

Daniel conceded that point. "What else, besides Steven?"

Christine took another bite before answering. "Spock and I had discussed that. Since his family name is impossible for humans to pronounce, and since our children will be raised on Earth, we decided they would use the name Chapel."

"Okay. Have you picked out a middle name?"

"Why? Are you hoping I'll name him Daniel?"

"It was a thought. It's a good, strong name."

Her turn to concede. "Yes, it is. But I've tried to think of what Spock would have named him, and I decided on James."

Daniel nodded. "Yeah, Spock would have liked that." He picked up his water glass and tipped it to hers. "Here's to Steven James Chapel." She joined him in the toast.

When Daniel had driven her back to her car he said, "You know what you need? A vacation! You need to get away from here for a while. Go see your parents. Surround yourself with people who love you."

"You mean you don't love me anymore?" she asked with mock disappointment.

"You know what I mean," he groaned. "You should do it."

"I'll think about it. Good night, and thanks for dinner. It was great."

He shrugged it off. "It's what friends are for. Think about what I said. Good night, Chris."

Christine did think about it, all the way home. And when she crawled into her guest room bed, she fell asleep almost immediately. When she woke, she felt better than she had in a long time. She made herself a nutritious breakfast, called a doctor friend that specialized in obstetrics and made an appointment, then called her mother and told her to expect her for supper. When she got to E-Ops, she spent nearly an hour with Admiral Matheson, who signed her request for leave without question. She finished her report from the night before and wrapped up or delegated several other projects. After a quick lunch, she met with the obstetrician, then went home to pack. And by 15:00 hours she was on a shuttle bound for Houston.

Christine spent almost a month with her parents. They were thrilled at her announcement of a grandson and insisted on buying her and the baby all kinds of things. She got her first pair of maternity pants along with several other outfits. She slept well; she enjoyed her mother's cooking, and renewed her own love for preparing food; and she gained nine pounds. After seeing a news flash about an earthquake in Southeast Africa, she called Wendell Matheson and asked if she could do anything. He told her he could use all the doctors he could get, and off she went.

Now she was home again. She'd decided to sell the house, only to be told she couldn't since half of it belonged to her husband, and he had not been legally declared dead. A real estate lawyer told her she could rent it, so she had contacted an agent who assured her it would be no problem. Except for one thing – she needed to get rid of the mural in one of the upstairs bedrooms.

Christine sat on the floor opposite the mural in the room that would have been the nursery, a paint sprayer beside her, staring at the mural. Spock had designed it and commissioned a Vulcan artist to paint it. It depicted the _Enterprise_ gliding through a field of stars. Oh, how she hated that silver beast for taking away her beloved. But if it hadn't been for that beautiful silver lady, she never would have met him in the first place. She remembered the day vividly. She had signed on to find her lost love, Roger Korby. Within half an hour of boarding she had been making her way to Sickbay with the aid of a personal datapadd and had bumped smack into the First Officer coming around a corner. When he helped her up, something passed between them. But after five years and no little effort on her part, nothing had come of it. Then came a refitted Enterprise, a new captain and a new title with no Spock and she was excited to prove to herself that she was over him.

But on their first mission, Jim Kirk came back. Leonard McCoy came back. And Spock came back. When Len asked her to stay on for the new five-year mission as his partner, she accepted. Spock had given her no notice, as usual. Then things began to change. Spock changed. It seemed his encounter with V'ger had … mellowed him. He spent time with the other senior officers. He got to know them as people. Then it was her turn.

He asked her to join him for dinner in the officer's lounge. They talked for hours, about what had happened between missions, about their childhoods, about their dreams for the future, everything. Two days later he asked if he could accompany her to a concert being given by the ship's orchestra. A few days after that they attended a volleyball match in the gymnasium together. Soon they were watching old holovids in her quarters. He began to relax when he was with her. On one such evening, Spock had actually laughed at something one of the characters on the screen said. That had been the turning point. When he left her after the video, he asked if he could kiss her good-night. She told him yes in a moment of panic. And what a kiss it had been! They next day he came by Sickbay on his break and they spent some time lip-locked in the supply closet. Two weeks later he declared his intention to make her his wife, and after some finagling by Admiral Kirk, they were married. Their first night together was amazing. Christine had nearly passed out from shear bliss. Who knew a Vulcan could be so full of passion!

After the mission was over, they had secured positions at Starfleet HQ and taken up house hunting. Surprisingly, Spock had been the one to drag his feet over the selection of their home. Christine tried to tell him they would never find everything they wanted, but he kept looking. And finally, they settled on this one. It overlooked a small inlet and had easy access to the water. The family room had large windows that opened out onto a grand deck, all with the most amazing views. There was also a cozy den, a large formal dining room and a gourmet kitchen on the main floor. Upstairs, the master suite featured a balcony over the deck below. At the other end was what the realtor had called an 'in-law' suite. And in between were four more bedrooms. It was perfect for their needs.

Now it was too much for just her. Here she was with a house she loved but no longer wanted, a job she was tired of, and a hole in her heart the size of a small planet. And four months pregnant! Tears threatened to start again and she fought them off. She was tired of crying, tired of fighting. So she would rent out the house, and … and she would put in for a transfer. That was it! She would put in for a transfer, maybe to the Paris branch of Starfleet. She would start over with a new home, a new job, and a new baby. With that decision made, she struggled to her feet and picked up the paint sprayer.

Before she could switch the unit on, her front door chime rang. She put the sprayer down and stepped out to the intercom terminal in the hall and pressed the button. "Who is it?" she asked, trying not to sound too annoyed. The voice that replied made her heart skip several beats.

"Christine, it's Sarek."


	4. Chapter 4

**Keep those reviews coming! Thanks for the kind words.**

Chapter 4

Spock stood beside his mother on the cliff watching the scurry of humans and Vulcans around the Klingon Bird of Prey on the plain below. He expelled an un-Vulcan like sigh and she knew what he was thinking. "You're going with them, aren't you?" Amanda asked.

"Yes, Mother, I must. It is where I belong."

"I know, Spock. Just do me a favor and be careful." She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.

He made his way down the steep path and entered the alien ship, speaking briefly with Saavik who was on her way out. Admiral Kirk was sitting in the command chair checking items off on a datapadd.

"Permission to come aboard," he requested.

The admiral looked up and smiled then replied with the formal, "Permission granted."

"Thank you, Admiral." "I must apologize for my attire," Spock indicated the rough robe he wore. "I seem to have misplaced my uniform."

"It's alright, Spock. Station please."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Christine flew down the steps, yanked open the front door and caught herself just short of flinging her arms around the neck of her Vulcan father-in-law. An effort for which Sarek was grateful. He had tried to prepare himself for Christine's emotional welcome, or her wrath. He would have endured either.

"Greetings, my daughter," he offered. "Am I welcome in your home?"

"Of course you are. Come in." She stepped aside, closed the door behind him and led him into the den. Then she broke down. "Oh, Sarek!" The tears flowed freely, and being the expert with human females that he had become, Sarek drew her into an embrace and let her cry, projecting calm and caring as best he could. When she finished, he guided her down on the sofa and sat beside her.

"My daughter, I have good news," he informed her. Christine wiped her eyes and peered into his kindly face. "Spock is alive!"

"No…," she whispered. "Spock died."

"Yes, he did," Sarek agreed. "But he has returned to us. I do not fully understand how, but he is now very much alive."

Christine stood, trying to find words. Finally she turned to her father-in-law and pleaded, "Why didn't he contact me? Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Sarek could sense her anger building and knew he needed to head it off. He also rose. "Secrecy was necessary, Christine, to protect Kirk and his crew. Also, if word of Spock's…resurrection became public, the scientific community of both our planets would have demanded an explanation and much would have been revealed that would be best kept silent."

Christine didn't understand, but accepted his words. Turning back to him, she said, "Take me to him."

"He is on his way here. Admiral Kirk and the others decided to turn themselves in, and I came ahead to offer testimony on their behalf. I was informed only an hour ago that my son elected to join them. They will be here in less than two days."

"Two days? Spock will be here in two days?" She was trembling now, so Sarek eased her back to the sofa. "Oh!" she started and laid a hand on her abdomen. The baby had sensed her joy and was doing a little dance of his own.

It was only then that Sarek noticed the slight roundness there. His eyes grew wide. "Christine, are you with child?" he exclaimed.

She nodded her head. "Yes, four months. He doesn't know!" Fresh tears coursed down her cheeks. This time they were tears of joy.

Sarek looked away for a moment and Christine knew there was something he wasn't telling her. "What is it?" she demanded, once again wiping her eyes.

He took a deep breath and fortified his emotional barriers, then took both her hands in his. "Spock doesn't remember you."

"What?" I'm his wife! How could he not remember me?" She tried to pull her hands away and stand, but Sarek held them tight.

"The healer is not certain. It may have been that the bond between you was broken so abruptly that it could not reform. He described it as being like a tether has been cut and is tossed about in the wind. When you try to grasp it, it is pulled away and merely brushes against your hand. Spock has memories of you, but he cannot process them and give them meaning. It is my hope that when he sees you, everything will be revealed to him. As soon as he arrives, I will bring him to you."

Christine released the breath she'd been holding. "I'll be watching," she told him. "I'll know the moment _Enterprise_ arrives."

"They will not be on _Enterprise_. Admiral Kirk was forced to destroy his ship to prevent the Klingons from capturing it." His eyes took on a slightly mischievous glint. "He then stole the Klingon ship and came straight to Vulcan."

Christine laughed. "That sounds like something only Jim Kirk would do!"

After Sarek left, Christine gathered her things and moved back into the master bedroom. She slept soundly that night in the big king-sized bed, dreaming of how she would remind her husband of just exactly who she was.

The next morning, Dr. Chapel marched into her boss's office and volunteered to man the E-Ops desk at the Starfleet monitoring station. He had already given her Assistant Director position to Dr. Rivers and was prepared to sign a transfer for any post she wanted. But this was a strange request. She was exceedingly overqualified for the job, but if it would make her happy… He granted her request.

Christine reported for duty. The monitoring station was by far the most well-placed building on the campus. Situated on the tip of what was referred to as 'The Presidio,' it offered an unbelievable view of San Francisco Bay. And the E-Ops desk was located right next to the massive glass wall. From her perch, she could look straight down to the rocks on the beach below. She familiarized herself with the controls and displays and spent the day alternately watching the satellite tracking network and the crashing waves. She was reminded of those old romance stories where the women looked out over the sea waiting for their sailor/lovers to come home.

All was quiet that day. The next day the station commander told them to be on the lookout for a Klingon ship broadcasting on _Enterprise's_ frequency. Christine's heart fluttered. But it wasn't a Klingon ship that captured everyone's attention a few hours later.

The computer described the approaching object as cylindrical, composed of an unknown substance, incredibly large, and traveling at near light-speed. It was also giving off a massive energy wave. As it neared Earth, tactical and tracking satellites lost power. Communications with the space station were cut off. Several ships in orbit were set adrift. Christine could hear the mournful sounds the thing was transmitting. She could see the ocean being vaporized right in front of her. She wanted to scream, _No, not today! This isn't supposed to be happening today of all days!_ She shook herself and concentrated on her work.

Then Ambassador Sarek entered with the Federation President and Admiral Cartwright. He noticed Christine immediately and their gazes locked momentarily.

"What is the estimated cloud cover of the Planet exactly?" the President asked. A computer voice answered: Seventy-eight point six percent.

"Notify all stations," Admiral Cartwright directed. "Starfleet Emergency, RED ALERT. Switch power immediately to planetary reserves." He faced his companions and added, "Mister President, even with planetary reserves we cannot survive without the sun."

"I am well aware of that, Admiral," the President stated. Turning to Sarek, he said, "Ambassador Sarek, I'm afraid you're trapped her with us. There seems to be no way we can answer this Probe."

The Vulcan statesman replied, "It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question. ...Mister President, perhaps you should transmit a planetary distress signal, ...while we still have time."

As the President finished his planet-wide warning, the Communications Officer reported, "I'm picking up a faint transmission, ...I think it's Admiral Kirk calling!"

"On screen!" Cartwright yelled.

Admiral Kirk's distorted face appeared on the viewscreen. "Starfleet Command. This is Admiral James T. Kirk. ...We have intercepted and analyzed the call of the Probe." His image broke up and was replaced by static.

"Go to reserve power. ...Now!" Cartwright demanded.

The viewscreen cleared and Admiral Kirk resumed, "It is our opinion that humpback whales can give a proper response to the Probe." Again the image faded out.

Cartwright shouted more orders, "Stabilize! Emergency reserve!"

The Communications Officer complied and Kirk appeared again. "We are going to attempt time-travel. We are computing our trajectory at this time." Then the screen went blank.

"Get him back! Get him back!" bellow Cartwright.

Christine's heart sank.

Then Sarek pointed out into the bay. "Look!" he shouted. All eyes searched the through the pouring rain. And there, headed toward the Golden Gate Bridge, was a Klingon ship. She was coming in fast, nearly out of control. They watched, mesmerized, as the Bird of Prey's nose came up slowly and she slammed into the water. After and eternity – which in reality, was only a matter of minutes – the rain stopped. The sun broke through. And the probe moved away. The station commander sent out a rescue boat.

As Admiral Cartwright, the Federation President, and Ambassador Sarek followed an aide out to the dock, Sarek turned back, glanced at his daughter-in law, and spoke to the commander quietly. The commander spared her a glance as well and nodded his head. Sarek held out a hand to her and said simply, "Come, Christine."

They waited on the dock as the rescue boat approached. Christine could see eight disheveled, wet figures on the deck wrapped in thermal blankets. Her heart raced knowing one of them was Spock. Then she saw him. Only Sarek's hand on her arm kept her from leaping into the water and swimming out to meet him. When the boat finally docked, the _Enterprise_ crew, and guest, were assisted off the boat. Admiral Cartwright and the President shook their hands. Spock made a bee-line for his father, but stopped short when he saw Christine.

Spock couldn't believe his eyes. There she was, the woman in his dreams, standing next to his father. She held out her hand to him, her first two fingers extended. Without coherent thought, he copied the gesture. When their fingers touched, it was like a bolt of lightning flashed in his mind. Suddenly, he remembered. "Christine!" he cried, and pulled her into his arms.

Their lips met and as their bond flared back to life, he kissed her enthusiastically, releasing his hold only when he heard the cheers and applause from his friends. They both blushed deeply and turned away. Christine chose that moment to whisper in her husband's ear, "I'm pregnant."

Spock's eyes became like saucers. "Mine?" he asked.

Christine took a swipe at his arm. "Of course it's yours, silly. Who else?" She placed his hand on her stomach, and he was rewarded by a gentle kick. He also sensed the consciousness forming within.

"My son," he said, his face breaking into a wide grin. The others gathered around and congratulations were offered. McCoy looked at his former assistant shaking his head from side to side, then opened his arms for a hug. He caught Spock's eye over her shoulder and quirked his eyebrow. Spock ear-tips blazed a brilliant green.

THE END

Special thanks to a great website I found, , that has all the movie, and episode, scripts.


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